Harry Kane won the 2026 men's Ballon d'Or on Monday night, becoming the first Englishman since Michael Owen in 2001 to receive football's leading individual award. The Bayern Munich and England striker beat Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal to the prize at the 70th edition of the awards, held at the London Palladium. The ceremony marked the first time the event had taken place in the English capital. England Football
Kane, 33, scored 73 goals in 65 competitive matches for club and country during the season under consideration. He also helped Bayern win the league and domestic cup double.
HARRY KANE IS THE 2026 BALLON D'OR! #ballondor https://t.co/k3CUlwLF1E
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— Ballon d'Or (@ballondor) October 26, 2026
The striker was visibly emotional as he walked on stage to chants of "Harry, Harry" from the home crowd. A visibly emotional Kane said, "Wow, wow, wow. I'm almost speechless. Being here in London makes it extra special. Thank you to everyone who voted for me. I can imagine it was tough this year. Some world-class players.
He paid tribute to his Bayern teammates and sent his wishes to manager Vincent Kompany. Kane said his time at the German club had helped him improve both as a player and as a person, adding that it was a privilege to represent Bayern. "Without my teammates it wouldn't be possible. I am wishing Vincent Kompany very well, I hope this has given you a bit of energy," said Kane.
The England captain also thanked his international teammates, describing their campaign as a special year despite falling short of a perfect finish. "To my England teamates. We had a special year, it wasn't perfect, but we had a lot of great moments. It was truly an honour to captain you, this is for all of us," Kane said.
A quick message on what it means to me personally to win the Ballon d'Or!! 🙌🏆 https://t.co/T8Osuy0as4
— Harry Kane (@HKane) October 27, 2026
Thank you London! ❤️🏆 https://t.co/HUVcNKAxzk
— Harry Kane (@HKane) October 27, 2026
Kane also acknowledged Tottenham Hotspur, where he spent much of his career before joining Bayern in 2023. He said the experiences he had at the north London club, which he joined as a child, had helped lead him to the award. Kane remarked, "Thank you to Tottenham Hotspur. I wouldn't be where I am today without Tottenham. I was there from 11 years old. All those ups and downs have led me to this moment."
The victory held particular meaning for Kane in his birthplace, where he began his professional career. His win ended a 25-year wait for an English recipient of the men's Ballon d'Or.
Harry Kane's glittering collection of individual honours includes two European Golden Shoe awards, earned in the 2023-24 and 2025-26 seasons as Europe's leading league scorer.
On the international stage, Kane claimed the FIFA World Cup Golden Boot in 2018 after finishing as the tournament's top scorer in Russia, and added the UEFA Euro Golden Boot in 2024. Domestically, he established himself as one of the Premier League's greatest strikers by winning the Premier League Golden Boot three times. He has also been recognised with the Gerd Müller Trophy, awarded to the year's most prolific striker.
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